Love is Confusing
by Unexplainable Contradiction
Summary: Read "Unknown Friendship" if you want to understand, because you probably won't otherwise./Katie has known Percy for years, and she knows that something between him and Annabeth just clicked when they met. Of course, they really are oblivious to each other and their feelings./Or, every year as Katie sees Percy and Annabeth, and what she thinks of this Percabeth and love. Oneshot!


Another Sarcastic Teenager, if you are reading this, I remembered. I remembered your question, your suggestion from long ago. I remembered. And I'm sorry if you're ashamed I am currently writing a Katie/Percy love story—that is separate!—even though I ship Percabeth and this story is purely friendship. But I hope you enjoy, because this is specifically for you.

**I'm not dead, guys! I'm right here, through your screen, in the form of words! Isn't that great?**

**Ummm… This didn't quite fit into the theme of the Percy/Katie friendship, so… I put it out all by itself. **

**'Nother warning: This will be jumpy, but that's because it's Katie's direct thoughts.**

Love is Confusing

**_Age Twelve, The Lightning Thief:_**

Katie knew, from the moment she first saw them interact, there was a chemistry between them, and this is coming from a daughter of Demeter, the one whose nose is usually stuck down in the soil, not some frilly pink Aphrodite girl. There was something that just… clicked, something that automatically created a gaping hole in his walls for her, something… something like soul mates. At least, that's what Katie thought, because she sure as heck had never ever seen anyone Percy had met who could get so close to him so fast. Not even she had gotten that close to him like that.

Annabeth had crumbled his diamond walls, or maybe she had figured out a way to separate her molecules so that they could pass through the barrier, or maybe she found a secret doorway or passage, or maybe…

Or maybe Percy allowed her.

Katie thought about that, dwelled on that subject long and hard, and, really, that seemed the only explanation. No one could possibly get that close to someone without knowing they were destroying some sort of secret law. Not even genius Annabeth Chase.

Percy had allowed her, without even noticing, to get closer to him. To get to know _him_—the actual Perseus Jackson, not the one who pretended to wear his heart on his sleeve, who was an open book.

There were some obstacles, sure, like Percy acting like he wasn't a complete and utter genius, but Annabeth only thought Percy was obtuse, not a buffoon. She knew he wasn't stupid.

Katie watched them joke with each other by the lake idly from the corner of her eye. There was something, she knew. Something great. Something important. Something… beautiful.

She didn't know it, but she would learn. Katie would learn what made Percy trust Annabeth so much.

Because really, this was tough Percy Jackson Katie was talking about—he was _Percy _freakin' _Jackson_, the one who faked his own death!—and he always had a reason, even if he didn't know it.

Even if he didn't realize it.

**_Age Thirteen, The Sea of Monsters:_**

From the edge of her vision, Katie could barely make out Percy and Annabeth sitting on the porch of the Big House together, talking, whispering, quietly to each other about Thalia. They were together quite often when Percy was at camp, but this didn't surprise Katie. There was already a couple name—Percabeth—for them, after all.

She wasn't jealous. Of course not. Percy was hers and only hers—sort of—when they were away from camp, and he was hers and only hers for years before he even knew of the name _Annabeth_.

Katie was still in the picture—a completely different picture that Annabeth didn't even know existed—and Percy spent time with her. Not like what he did with the blonde, but enough to keep Katie satisfied for the summer.

Watching furtively, she noticed Annabeth lean forward a bit _too_ much for _just friends_. Almost in a flirty gesture.

Maybe it was.

"Percy," Katie moaned in exasperation under her breath. "Oblivious Percy." Shaking her head, she stood up to her feet, dusting off her legs. She turned to face them, not acting subtle at all, and caught Percy's flickering gaze. _'Ask her out already,' _she mouthed, and a look of pure horror crossed the boy's face.

_'She doesn't like me like that,' _Percy mouthed back, and Katie rolled her eyes.

For a boy with a brain like his, Percy sure was oblivious, even to something as obvious as love.

**_Age Fourteen, The Titan's Curse:_**

Annabeth held up the sky; Percy held up the sky.

Annabeth did it because of Luke; Percy did it because of Annabeth.

It was, Katie concluded, a massive mess of mixed feelings and a cackling Aphrodite, the _Goddess of_ freakin', friggin' _Love_.

But Aphrodite _had_ to know what she was doing. The goddess had done at least one thing right, and that was match up Annabeth and Percy. Percy and Annabeth.

Percabeth.

The name actually made Katie sick to her stomach, but she knew the Aphrodite cabin was on the right track, even if they didn't know the full reason as to _why_.

What Katie figured, when she was lying flat on her back at the dead of night in the Demeter cabin, fighting the knot of worry in her stomach for _Percy_ freakin' _Jackson_, was this: They matched each other perfectly. Annabeth was bright, cautious, a planner, and she could actually control Percy. (In a sense, of course. No one could really control Percy; he was too wild and unpredictable.) Percy, while one of few real genii, was… well… unpredictable. Spontaneous. He felt like it, he did it. If a plan was needed, it was made after the whole thing had already been started. (Well, he _did_ often plan, but usually it was only after he had put the idea in motion; also, the plans he made were suicidal.)

Anyway, back to the gray streak, and them, and them finally getting together, and Percy finally learning that _'Hades, Annabeth has a massive crush on me!'_

Katie eyed the duo—sorry, _Percabeth_—as they sat in front of cabin three, fingering their respective gray hairs. Percy was mumbling something in Annabeth's ear, and she was blushing madly; he, however, did not notice the creeping red that warmed the child of Athena's face.

Annabeth shook her head and leaned over to tug on Percy's gray, smiling a melancholy smile, and Katie couldn't help but wonder what they were saying. Percy was so comfortable, easygoing, around her, and his temper was kept in check. By himself. When did that happen?

But Katie smiled fondly at the thought that her best friend was actually happy—happy with only mild traces of sadness, because the sadness was momentarily _forgotten_.

Forgotten.

The dark shadows of Percy's would be wiped away, crushed under an unknown, female foot, if only for a moment. That, however, was good enough for Katie.

If only they would finally stop being so obtuse and realize what _everybody_ else had realized.

**_Age Fourteen, The Battle of the Labyrinth:_**

There was a fight. Between _Percabeth_.

Katie couldn't help but feel bitter. Sure, she loved Annabeth and thought she was perfect for the Son of Poseidon, but _Percy was a mess_. A mess of emotions. Of mixed signals—hello, _Daughter_ _of Athena_, give a straight answer!

The Daughter of Demeter watched as Percy slumped deeper into the couch, mesmerized by "SpongeBob SquarePants" or "Fairly Odd Parents" or whatever he was allowing to rot his brain out.

No, bitter didn't cut it, Katie thought. The feeling yanking at her heart was pure _hatred_. Not necessarily at Annabeth, but at the fact that she, in a way, completely broke _Perseus_. Freakin'. _Jackson_. Her best friend. The one she spent years trying to fix up. Annabeth was breaking him slowly, one diamond brick at a time—scratch that; Annabeth was breaking him, a huge wrecking ball slam at a time.

Yeah. That worked.

Katie roved over Percy with her eyes—not checking him out, mind you—seeing if she could _see_ the pain and hurt coming off him in waves, because she could sure _feel_ it.

Stupid Annabeth Chase. Pulling on someone's heart strings is not cool. Or fun. Or even mildly amusing. It hurt as heck.

_Just get together already_, she whined in her mind.

**_Age Fifteen/Sixteen, The Last Olympian:_**

The got together. They got together. _They got together_. THEY FINALLY GOT TOGETHER.

That was the buzz all around camp, and Katie knew why.

Percabeth.

After four long, agonizing years of watching them dance around the other, the two had confronted their feelings, each other, and then made-out in the lake.

Well, they didn't make-out per say, but rumors were rumors and the Aphrodite cabin really liked that particular idea.

Before the war, there had been tension, a "girlfriend" issue—seriously, Percy? Dumped by someone you weren't even with?—and the fact that, well, everyone could die at any given moment.

But the two survived.

Annabeth brought Percy an uglier-than-Medusa birthday cupcake for his sixteenth birthday. They had kissed, were thrown into the lake, and then they stayed down there for far longer than any normal human could hold their breath, where they had the "best underwater kiss of all time." Or something cheesy like that.

The rest? Ancient history.

The only thing—and Katie would laugh about this for hours on end as Percy blushed madly at the aspect—that was left, really, was for Percy to tell his mother.

And Sally had the same opinion of the two as Katie had.

So there would be teasing. Endless teasing.

But the world was an amazing place, really, once Annabeth started going out with Percy.

The war—over.

The pain—over.

Other pain in the necks—mostly over.

The Great Prophecy was completed, and Percy could relax with his girlfriend underneath Thalia's Pine, having picnics and laughing at past happenings.

Katie couldn't help but smile.

The love life—taken.

**_Age Sixteen, The Lost Hero:_**

Of course something bad had to happen.

Of course Percy's _good_ luck wouldn't last.

Of course Percy would be whisked away with no trace.

Of course Annabeth had no idea how to act.

Katie sighed, staring at Annabeth, who was sitting at the dock, her feet dangling over the clear water. What Katie was about to do was going to confuse the heck out of Annabeth, but—but this was for _Percabeth_.

She had to take one for the team, even if Katie didn't exactly know if there was a team. Or a group of people who shipped Percabeth harder than thought possible, for that matter.

"Annabeth," she called, wincing. This will go either two ways: It will confuse Annabeth but get the message through, or everything will blow up in Katie's face and she'll get stabbed several times over.

The blonde whipped around, "princess curls" gently cascading down her back. "Katie?"

The Daughter of Demeter nodded, feeling her nerves tighten deep inside of her, as she navigated her way carefully to the fully armored Daughter of Athena. Plopping down, she took in the other's blotchy, puffy red eyes, slumped back. "I… I wanted to talk to you. About Percy."

Snicker doodles. Was she really about to do this?

Annabeth's face went cold, her eyes sharpened knifes harder than her dagger. "You don't understand."

Katie sighed, "I'm not trying to _understand_, Annabeth. I just—I just wanted to let you know that he's okay. That he's gonna be fine."

"How do you know?" snapped Annabeth, but Katie didn't even flinch at the cold words.

"Listen. Even though you don't think I know him, I do, maybe even better than you." Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but Katie gave her a stern look. "I really _know_ him—know his interests, abilities, past…" Katie trailed off at that point, because she knew Annabeth was curious about that, since Percy never spoke of it. "And I know this for certain: Percy _will_ come back. He… he always does."

"But, Katie—"

"Remember during your quest into the labyrinth? What did Percy do? He freakin' bombed his own funeral." Katie's voice was cold, stiff, ordering. "Understand, Annabeth," she said more softly. "Percy—he's different. He can _do_ things. _Anything_ he puts his mind to. And right now, his mind is bent on finding _you_." Katie pointed a finger at Annabeth.

"How…?" Annabeth broke off, tears welling in her eyes.

"Just go with it. There are some things you _will never_ understand about Percy, and you have to accept that. One of those things is how Percy works, because that loyalty he has toward you will never leave. Never even falter." Katie stood up, gazing deep into Annabeth's swirling gray orbs. "Another one of those things is how he has secrets, and _Hades_, Annabeth, you know a lot more than you think about Percy. He's practically given himself up to you, so _dear gods_, don't break him, Annabeth. Don't break him," she repeated.

And then Katie left, her hands twisted in her dark brown locks in nervousness. Hopefully, Annabeth would get something out of that, but Katie knew she had been vague. But how was she supposed to explain Percy without actually explaining him? Without giving _everything_ away? If anything, Percy would want to tell Annabeth about himself, so Katie wasn't going to intervene.

"Please, Annabeth, don't break Percy. Breaking his walls is enough."

Walking away from the beach was when she heard the sob, and in that moment Katie knew Annabeth would never break Percy, at least never intentionally. "Please, please, please, please, _please_, come home, Percy. Come back to me."

They were soul mates, that's for sure. If only life would be a little less confusing.

If only love was less confusing.

Stupid Aphrodite, Goddess of freakin', friggin' _Love_.

**Okay… I wrote the Percabeth thing! Yay! And ****_there will be no more of that_****, except maybe some random stuffed in stuff. **

**Review 'n' stuff. Please.**

**~XxxXGreek GeekXxxX**


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